Car-coupling



(Nomodel') W. T. VAN DORN.

GAR COUPLING. N0QZ7L553. Patented Jan.30,1883

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

W2 filfivm ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. VAN DORN, 0F LiNcoLN, NEBRASKA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,553, dated January30, 1883.

Application filed November 28, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. VAN DORN, of Lincoln, in the county ofLancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and usefulImprovementin Oar-Oouplin gs, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings,forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement upon the car-coupling shown anddescribed in Letters Patent No. 258,160, granted to me under date of May16, 1882.

The invention consists of an improvement in the coupling-bar, wherebythe latter is adapted for coupling with cars using the ordinarypin-and-link coupling, and also in the retaining device for holding thecatch of the coupling-bar in engagement with the pin.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal section of the draw-headembodying my improvement; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same,showing the adjustment of the couplinghar for coupling with ordinarycouplings.

The coupling-bar b is provided with a catch, 0, at one end, and aperforation, g, by which the opposite end is to be coupled with adrawhead. This opposite end dis made heavy, and extends beyond theperforation g from the catch 0, in order that when said end is coupledwith a draw-head the bar will be held in a horizontal position forautomatic coupling at the catch end with another draw-head. Now, toadapt this coupling-bar for coupling with the ordinary pin-and-linkcoupling, which is used on many cars, I provide the heavy end d of thebar b with a slot, 6, extending from its end nearly to the perforation9, thus forming a combined link and catch-bar. For coupling with carshaving my coupling one of the cars is to be coupled with the bar 11 bymeans of the perforation g, as in my former inven- (No model.)

tion above referred to, and the catch 0 on the opposite end of the baris to be coupled automatically with another car having a bevelcoupling-pimf, behind which the catch is to be forced. When it isdesired to attach a car having the pin-and-link coupling the pinfis tobe withdrawn, and the bar b is to be inserted into the draw-head untilthe pinfmay be inserted through the perforations g t, as

shown in Fig. 2. The link portion (1 of the.

bar 12 may then be coupled with an ordinary pin.

The improved retaining device consists of the bar of wrought-iron h,which is pivoted on a vertical bolt, h, in the opening a in the side ofthe draw-head, and the coil-spring I, set in recesses m, formedrespectivelyin the bar h and the opposite wall of the draw-head. The barh is beveled at its rear end, and its bevel rests against thecorresponding bevel of the wall j, which latter serves as a stop for thebar It against the action of spring 1. The forward end of the bar h ispressed inward against the coupling-bar b to hold the catch a inengagement with the pinf.

In Fig. 1, i indicates the additional coupling-pin above referred to,which is used as a safety-pin to hold the bar it from yielding to thepressure of the coupling-bar when not used for coupling.

, What I claim as new is- The combination, with the coupling-bar havingcatch 0 and the draw-head having a bevel coupling-pin, of the bar h,pivoted in opening a and forming one side of the draw-head, and thecoil-spring I, set in recesses m, substantially as shown and described.

W. T. VAN DORN.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. TEMPLETON, F. M. HALL.

